Sunburst
by alovesuicide
Summary: The musings of a Summer Girl. "I wasn't as happy as I once had been." What awaits her now that her king has found his queen, leaving her feeling alone and abandoned? — • • Post INK, Pre FE
1. Chapter 1

**A/N (10/14/11):** Cleaned up story format and removed all author's notes. I felt they were clogging the chapters.

_Sunburst_ was the winner of the fanfiction category of the 2010 Marr Awards.

**Disclaimer (for entire story):** _Wicked Lovely_ is the property of Melissa Marr; Sarai (the narrator) and Tiyana (appears in later chapters) are of my creation and are not canon characters.

* * *

I wasn't like the other Summer Girls. I loved Keenan, but I wasn't in love with-as infatuated with-him as they were. Once upon a time I had been, but my affection for Keenan-the Summer King-had long since waned. Yet I remained with him, remained with the Summer Court, because I had nowhere else to go. And I still loved Keenan.

Keenan was spending less time with us because he now had his precious Summer Queen, Aislinn, to keep happy. All of the Summer Girls, including me, were at least a little jealous of Keenan's affection for Aislinn. But we dealed with it, because our new queen brought life to our court. With Aislinn's prescence we-the Summer Girls-were now able to spend time away from Keenan without fear of just wilting away. Yet, most of the Summer Girls still tried to cling to Keenan, but I didn't.

I took this opportunity to occasionally wander away from the Summer Court, from my king. He wouldn't notice, anyways. No one would notice. I wasn't one of the more popular Summer Girls; I was one of the ones that faded away into the background. Keenan used to notice me, to stroke my hair and say sweet things to me, but since Aislinn came along, he didn't see me. Nobody every saw me anymore.

I wasn't as happy as I once had been.

I never wandered too far away from the Summer Court, though sometimes I ventured into the mortal city. I always remained invisible, though. I wanted to avoid the mortals. A mortal was what had taken my king away. I would go to the mortals' park and sit on the grass in a secluded place, just listening to the breeze and feeling the sunshine on my cheeks.

I felt at home there. I felt wanted there.


	2. Chapter 2

I had heard rumors that the Dark Court had a new king. Niall. At first I didn't believe it. Niall had been completely loyal to Keenan, hadn't he? Yet, when I overhead Keenan speaking about it, I knew it was true. Niall was the new Dark King.

Knowing this caused my curiosity to grow.

Whenever I visited the mortal park to go to my special place, I would sit on the grass and try to remember what Niall looked like. All I could picture was his short hair and the scar on his face. I never really noticed anything else about him because my attention had always been focused on Keenan. But now my thoughts were almost always subconsciously on Niall. I never really knew why; it wasn't as if I actually knew him, had ever spoken to him, or had any sort of relationship with him. I suppose it was just curiosity. I was curious about him.

I felt somewhat guilty about my newfound curiosity. It made me feel as if I was betraying my king. But I would never betray Keenan.

Would I? 


	3. Chapter 3

I couldn't remember what my life had been like before I became a fey. All of my mortal memories had melted away. Maybe they weren't good memories, or hadn't been important; they must not have been, because I gave up my mortal life to become one of Keenan's Summer Girls. My life as a mortal must not have mattered much to me.

Sometimes, when I sat in my secluded place in the mortal park, a human couple might come along, looking for a place to spend alone time together. Usually I would leave if anyone showed up, but one particular day, when a couple came along, I didn't leave.

The couple that stumbled upon my hiding place was quite a curious pair indeed. They were both teenagers, but that seemed to be all they had in common.

The girl was petite and somewhat mousy, with long, slightly frazzled, dark brown hair and oval glasses (it had taken me a moment to remember what they were called). The dark blue sweater she wore was too big for her; the sleeves covered her hands. She clung to her lover's hand tightly, as if she was afraid he would suddenly disappear.

The boy was tall, with shaggy dark blonde and black hair, with two piercings in his lower lip and one in his eyebrow. He reminded me a little of Queen Aislinn's mortal; I think his name was Seth. He walked with an air of confidence, while the girl seemed meek.

They seemed to be complete opposites. Like Summer and Winter. If they were so different, why did they seem to be so happy together?

The boy went over to a tree, pulling the girl along with him. He sat down on the ground, pulling the girl down into his lap and wrapping his arms around her. The girl blushed, but snuggled up close to him.

I felt a sort of emptiness well up inside of me. I wished someone would hold me close like that. Keenan never had, and probably never would.

"I love you," the boy told the girl, smiling and kissing her head. She blushed again and mumured something to him, causing his smile to broaden.

Jealousy boiled up within me. I wanted someone to love me like he loved her. Why couldn't I have someone that would love me?

I wanted love, too.  



	4. Chapter 4

It had been a few weeks since I had observed the mortal couple in the park.

I tried to forget about the feeling of loneliness that dwelled within me, and tried to ease it by spending more time with the other Summer Girls. After all, weren't we supposed to be a family sorts?

No. It was just an illusion. I had deluded myself into believing that we were a family. But we weren't.

For the first time in years, I cried myself to sleep. I felt alone, abandoned. Ignored and unloved. I wanted to be truly happy and not just have a false sense of happiness and contentment. Summer Girls were supposed to be happy. Why couldn't I be happy like the others?

Was something wrong with me? Was I broken?  



	5. Chapter 5

Summer was going to fade into Winter soon. I hated Winter. It was cold and icky. Winter fey frightened me, especially when Beira, Keenan's mother, ruled the Winter Court. Now Donia ruled it, but she scared me, too. I had seen her only once, very briefly, but just that one glance was enough to make me scared of her.

I had stopped going to the mortal park for days upon days, until I was finally longing to see it again. So I went back, only to be horrified.

My special place was now occupied by mortals who were building something (I later remembered that it was called a gazebo). They had taken away from me the one place I had truly held dear. My sanctuary.

For the first time in years, I felt angry. I was furious. I clenched my fists tightly as hot tears rolled down my cheeks, and I could feel heat emanating off my skin. I wanted to scream, to run away, to do something, but I was rooted to where I stood.

They were taking over my special place. Where would I-could I-go now? Where could I go to get away from the Summer Court, when I wanted to spend time alone? I didn't like wandering around the city, around all of the stone and metal and mortals. I had chosen the secluded place in the park because no one hardly ever went there. But now that would change.

I wanted to do something bad to those mortal men, who were laughing and talking to each other as they worked on the half-finished, ivory wood monstrosity. But I didn't. I wouldn't. I couldn't.

The only thing I could do was sit down on the ground, furl up into a tight ball, and cry because my sanctuary was now lost to me.  



	6. Chapter 6

I tried to talk to Keenan. I wanted someone to comfort me, to tell me that everything was going to be alright. But he only waved a hand dismissively and told me to go stay with the other Summer Girls, because he was busy. Of course he was. He had his hands full with making Queen Aislinn happy.

And, from the rumors I head, he had his hands full with Donia, too.

I did as he said and went to the other Summer Girls. They were in Keenan's in his loft, in a back room, as Keenan was in the living room with Aislinn, his advisors, and Aislinn's mortal. I was sitting quietly in a corner while the other girls chatted, laughed, and danced. Though I was still despondent over the situation with Keenan and losing my special place in the mortal park, it did feel good to see that all of the other girls were so happy. I absentmindedly brushed my fingers through my untamed, honey blonde hair.

"Sarai, dance with us!" one of the Summer Girls, Tiyana, said to me. Tiyana was my closest, closest friend, the only true friend I had in the Summer Girls. She became a fey not too long after I did, and we just seemed to bond instantly. She grasped ahold of my hands and tried to pull me to my feet, but I resisted, shaking my head. Tiyana frowned and crouched down to where she was eye level with me.

"Sarai? What's the matter?" she asked, still holding my hands in hers. "Why do your eyes seem so sad?"

"Keenan doesn't love us anymore," I whispered softly.

"Don't be silly! Of course he does!" She reached up and smoothed my hair back from my face, being careful not to displace they coral colored flowers that adorned my hair. "Keenan loves us. He's just busy with the court right now, especially since we have a new queen and Niall's now king of the Dark Court."

"But..." I began, but I trailed off. I looked down at my lap.

Tiyana remained silent for a moment. "Sarai, you're my dearest friend. I can't bear to see you so sad."

I looked back up at her, and saw that her soft brown eyes that were clouded with worry. "I'm sorry." I managed to give her a small smile, and she smiled in return.

"It's alright." She stood, pulling me to my feet as well. "Try to be happy. Keenan still cares about us. After all, we're his Summer Girls."

She said that, but did that mean it was true? did Keenan really still care about us?

About me?


	7. Chapter 7

For some reason, Keenan suddenly began to spend more time with us. For those days, the days he spent with us, a happiness filled my being. I was happy, ecstatic. Joyful. When Keenan held me, brushing his lips against my cheek, my neck, peeling away my gauzy gown, I felt wanted. Vibrant.

Only later did I find out that Keenan and Queen Aislinn had gotten into an argument, and Keenan had spent more time with us to let out pent-up emotions. I felt hurt, but I was still happy. I even spent more time with the Summer Girls, dancing and laughing. My feelings of being abandoned and alone had been pushed to the back of my mind.

Until Keenan began neglecting us again, when he and Aislinn had made up. I sank back into my depression, feeling alone once more.

A few days after Keenan and Aislinn had resolved their differences (for the time being), Aislinn got into a slight argument with her mortal. They argued about something, in front of Keenan and his advisors. I watched from the kitchen doorway, peeking around the frame of it. I couldn't hear what Aislinn and her mortal were saying, as they were arguing in hushed voices. Finally her mortal stormed out of the front door of the loft, and Aislinn went off towards Keenan's room, with Keenan not far behind her.

Out of curiosity, I followed Aislinn's mortal.

I followed him to his home, that horrible steel train car of his. I stayed outside, at the edge of his yard, waiting for something.

Waiting for him.

It was about a half hour later before he came out, wearing a new changes of clothes, and his hair was slightly damp. He stopped when he saw me, and, as if unsure of what to do, he just stared at me.

I stared back, with an equally fierce curiosity. I wanted to talk to him. I didn't know why, but I did.

But I didn't. I simply turned and walked away, going back to Keenan. My master. My Summer King. 


	8. Chapter 8

Since the day I had followed Queen Aislinn's mortal to his home, I sometimes caught him stealing glances at me. They were only brief, fleeting glances, but with each one he gave me a longing grew in my stomach. I was envious of Aislinn's relationship with her mortal. They loved each other.

I loved Keenan, but deep down I knew that he didn't truly love me. I was just a toy to him.

Keenan was holding a Summer Court gathering, and I was positive that I was the only Summer fey not attending. I didn't want to go. But where could I go, instead? Not to the mortal park, that was for certain. I walked around the mortal places aimlessly, though I was careful to avoid areas full of iron. I walked blankly, numbly, until I found myself standing in Aislinn's mortal's front yard. It just so happened that he was exiting the door of his home as I came to a stop in his yard.

When he saw me, he stopped walking, staring. I was only about eight feet away from him. How did I end up so close?

"What are you doing here?" he asked me.

Unable to come up with a logical, or even an illogical answer, I merely gave a slight shrug.

He cocked a pierced brow, still looking at me. He cautiously moved forward a bit. I knew he didn't trust faeries, and I didn't expect him to. It was mortal nature not to trust things they didn't understand. Also, I knew that he didn't like Keenan very much, because Keenan spent so much time with Aislinn and such. I was one of Keenan's Summer Girls, so I didn't expect the mortal to trust me at all. Not that I was going to ask him to.

"Aren't you supposed to be at the Summer Court thing with Keenan?" he asked, his voice friendly, though cautious.

"I didn't want to go." I moved to where I was less than a foot away from him. That seemed to make him a bit uncomfortable and he shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

"You should," he said, then added, "Go, I mean. You know, since there's a lot of iron around here."

I titled my head to the side, peering at him. He was acting as if he was concerned about me, but I could tell that he really wasn't. He was uncomfortable with my being near him, near his home, and obviously wanted me to leave. It hurt my feelings a little.

I had somewhat been foolishly hoping that since Keenan didn't want me, Seth (I grew tired of calling him "Aislinn's mortal.") might. But he didn't want me either. Why would he, since he had Queen Aislinn?

"Alright," I replied to him quietly, then left, leaving the confused mortal standing in his yard.

I would go home, I supposed. Home to the Summer fey, to Keenan.

To loneliness. 


	9. Chapter 9

**WARNING:** This chapter contains attempted rape. Please don't read if you will be triggered in some way.

* * *

I had found a new secret place in the mortal park, and I was excited. Elated. Happy! It was more secluded than my last secret place, so I was positive that no mortals would steal it away from me. Now that I had a new sanctuary, I was happier. I went there as often as I could.

One day I was there, laying on my tummy in the soft grass. I was a bit sleep, and had nestled my head onto my arm, using it as a pillow. My eyes were closed, and I was taking a light nap.

A noise that sounded like a twig snapping caused me to awaken, and my eyes reluctantly fluttered open. The sun was setting, bathing the park in a soft, orange-red glow. I pushed myself up, sleepily brushing my hair out of my eyes. I looked around, but didn't see what had made the noise that woke me. Perhaps it had just been an animal, or perhaps I had imagined it.

I laid back down, closing my eyes again. I wanted to take another short nap before I went back to Keenan.

Someone grabbed me by a handful of my hair, jerking me upwards. I cried out and felt my attacker grasp my upper arm tightly. "Well, aren't you a pretty Summer Girl?" a deep, alluring voice told me. I was pulled to my feet and turned around to face the stranger.

I could instinctively tell that he was a Dark Court fey. He was gorgeous, yet frightening, with piercings and chains. He was shirtless, and I could see the black wolf tattoo that curved over his shoulder, towards his collarbone, its claws outstretched and teeth bared. It took me a moment, but I realized that the tattoo was actually moving, gnashing its jaws.

He held my upper arm tightly so I couldn't run away, but I struggled to get free. The vines that clung to my skin withered and wilted.

"What's the matter, pretty girl? Scared of a harmless Hound?" He brushed the fingertips of his free hand across my cheek, then my collarbone. I cringed in fear and disgust, trying to pull away from him. He jerked me closer to him, digging his nails into my skin. He began to slide down one of the straps of my dress.

I tried to push his hand away. "D-don't," I protested feebly. He ignored me and crushed his lips against mine. I wanted cry, to scream, but I didn't. I tried to push him away, and managed to turn my face away from him, breaking the harsh kiss. He growled angrily and shoved me to the ground, pinning me there. He tore my dress, ripping a strap and some of the bodice.

I let out a cry, kicking and clawing, trying to defend myself. I was too afraid to think straight, to really comprehend what he wanted to do to me, but I did know that he wanted to hurt me.

He ripped my dress even more, tearing the rest of the bodice and some of the skirt. Keeping a tight hold of me with one hand, he pulled off my clothing.

I couldn't get away. I was trapped. I shut my eyes tightly, trying to block out what was happening, wishing that I was somewhere else. I was terrified. I wanted to go home.

I wanted Keenan.

The Hound was suddenly jerked back away from me, and I immediately curled up into a ball, as if that would protect me from being hurt anymore. Even though I really didn't want to, I opened my eyes to see what was going on.

Another fey had pulled the Hound away from me, throwing him into a tree. The Hound got to his feet, glaring at the fey and baring his teeth viciously. The other fey stood his ground, but I couldn't see the expression on his face because his back was to me. I didn't recognize him from anywhere.

No words were exchanged between the two fey, only stares. It seemed as if they were trying to see who would back down first, or who would attack first. Eventually, the Hound left, apparently not wanted to fight the other fey.

While they had been staring each other down, I had pushed myself up and crawled over to the nearest tree. I leaned against it, curling up, trying to cover my nakedness (I didn't want to touch my dress. The Hound had touched it. It smelled like him.), and trying to make myself invisible. The Hound hadn't...he hadn't really hurt me. He hadn't raped me, as he most likely intended to do, but I still felt violated.

I felt more like a mortal than I had in many, many years. I felt helpless, exposed. Filthy.

When the Hound was gone, the other fey turned to me, his expression soft. Comforting. He was a Dark fey, too, but seemed different from the Hound. He waited a moment before approaching slowly, crouching down in front of me, becoming eye level with me. I pulled my knees to my chest, hugging them tightly, keeping myself as covered as I could, but his eyes didn't stray from my face.

Realization dawned on me as my eyes traveled along the scar on his face. He was Niall. The Dark King. The very same Niall that had once been my king's most trusted adviser. He seemed different than he used to be, but that was to be expected. Now he seemed more...dark. Mysterious.

Frightening. Deadly.

"Are you alright?" he asked me softly. I managed a nod. I had tiny cuts on my arm from where the Hound had dug his nails into my skin, and my lips were bruised a bit from where he had forcefully kissed me, but other than that (and a few other little bruises) I was fine. Physically. I was still shaken up, and scared, because now I was cornered by a much stronger, darker fey. I didn't know if he would hurt me. Just because he made the Hound leave me alone didn't mean that he wouldn't do anything to me.

Niall remained quiet, simply watching me, then took off the black jacket that he was wearing. He put it around my shoulders, despited that fact that I flinched as soon as his hands neared me, expecting him to hurt me. but he didn't. "You can use this to keep covered." He hesitated a second before brushing my bangs back from my face, seeming as if he wanted to have a clearer view of my eyes. "Go home to Keenan." I expected his voice to be bitter and full of venom when he spoke Keenan's name, but it wasn't. It was gentle, but firm. I nodded again, too afraid to speak to him. Too afraid to say "thank you."

He seemed to smile faintly, though I didn't know what he was smiling about. He remained crouched for a few more minutes before standing up and walking away.

I stayed where I was, curling my fingers into Niall's coat, pulling it tightly around me. It was big on me, but I didn't mind. At least I was covered. I stayed still, letting everything that had happened sink in, gathering my thoughts. Finally I got to my feet, my legs feeling a little wobbly. I managed to steady them.

Time to go home, like Niall had told me to do. I began to walk, holding Niall's jacket with barely trembling fingers, keeping it closed. A thought suddenly occurred to me.

How was I going to explain to Keenan where the coat had come from?


	10. Chapter 10

I didn't tell Keenan about the attempted rape. When I returned home, he saw (He noticed me. He noticed me.) that I was hurt and scared (and only wearing a black, over-sized coat as well), and he tried to comfort me and coax me into telling him what had happened, what was wrong. But I wouldn't. It seemed now that I was getting Keenan's attention, I didn't really seem to want it. I merely shook my head, biting my lip and clutching Niall's jacket with trembling fingers. Keenan tried to hold me, but I wouldn't let him. I stayed silent, standing on shaking legs, gaze turned downwards as Keenan, Aislinn, their advisers, and the Summer Girls all watched me.

Aislinn even tried to comfort me, but when she touched my shoulder I flinched and jerked away, into the arms of Tiyana, who hugged me and held me tightly like a sister would in a time of despair. In an act of kindness, Keenan went and retrieved a blanket, bringing it to me. But when he tried to exchange the blanket for the jacket, I wouldn't let him take it, crying out a loud, forceful, "Don't!" Aislinn touched his arm quietly and Keenan relented, leaving me alone, telling Tiyana to take me to get a bath and to get some fresh clothes. She did as he said and led me off to his bedroom.

After I had bathed (I stayed in the tub for at least twenty minutes, scrubbing and scrubbing at my skin, trying to make the scent and feel of the Hound disappear), I put on a dress that Tiyana had gotten for me. She tried to take the coat from me (under Keenan's orders, presumably), but I wouldn't give it up, keeping it cradled in my arms. We stayed in Keenan's room, watching as the rest of the Summer Girls trickled in and went about their usual business of laughing and dancing. I sat in my usual corner, hugging Niall's jacket to my chest, watching them silently. Tiyana sat beside me, stroking my hair gently, like a mother would do to a child. She didn't try to make me tell her what had happened. She simply tried her best to comfort me.

I felt confused and jumbled up inside. Why didn't I want to tell Keenan what had happened? Why didn't I want him to hold me, to comfort me? Was I ashamed? Did I have reason to be? Did I simply just feel dirty? Filthy?

Curling my fingers into Niall's coat once more, I buried my face in the soft fabric. It smelled nice. Heavenly.

It smelled like him.


	11. Chapter 11

I stayed away from my new secret place for a few days, but eventually returned because I felt smothered. I loved Tiyana to death and appreciated that she cared about me so much, but I needed time away from her comfort. I needed some time to straighten out my thoughts and feelings. A large part of me didn't want to go back to the place of my attack, but I had nowhere else to really go. So I went.

I took Niall's coat with me, intending to just leave it there when I left. Keenan, Tiyana, and even Seth were worried about the attachment I had formed to it, and often tried to take it from me. (Seth only tried twice, though, then let me alone.) Since it seemed to be causing a bit of tension with whoever was around me, I decided to just take it to the park and leave it behind when I went back home.

It was late afternoon when I went there, to my secret place. The ripped remains of my other dress were still there, but I avoided looking at them for long, wanting to suppress the memory of what had happened. I went and found a tree that had plenty of shade under it (why I needed shade in the late afternoon, I didn't really know), sitting by it and leaning against ist. I hugged the jacket tightly in my arms, burying my face in its fabric and closing my eyes. For the moment, it was serving as a makeshift pillow.

For a while it was quiet, until the sound of soft, sudden footsteps caught my attention. I looked up quickly, finding myself almost face-to-face with Niall. He was crouched down in front of me, about a foot of space between us.

A smile was tugging at the corner of his lips. "You kept my jacket." He seemed somewhat amused.

Flushing a light pink, I meekly held the coat out to him, and he took it, being careful not to touch my hand, probably to avoid making the vines on my skin wilter.

He shrugged the coat on, then paused, pulling the collar up to his nose and smelling of it. "Now I'm going to smell like a flowery Summer Girl," he said in a teasing, playful voice.

For the first time in days, weeks, I actually laughed.

"You should go home. It's not safe for you to be out here alone." He paused, smile fading. "Especially after what happened the other day."

I tilted my head to the side, peering at him curiously. "But I'm not alone," I couldn't help but remark," you're here with me."

Niall looked at me, staring right into my eyes. I felt as if he could see right through my very soul. "I know. That's why you need to go. I'm worse than some of the things that come out at night."

We were both silent for a moment before I said softly, "I don't think you are."


	12. Chapter 12

I started going to my secret place at least twice a week, sometimes three. And once a week, without fail, Niall would either be there waiting for me, or would show up a little while after I got there. I never knew why he came there to see me, but I never asked, though I sometimes wanted to. I was merely glad for the company.

We always sat underneath a large, tall oak tree. Niall never said much, but that was alright, because I could always find something to talk about. I liked that Niall would let me talk, that he never shushed me and actually listened to what I was saying. He never ignored me.

We continued meeting like that for about four weeks.

It was nearing the end of August, and beginning to get cooler. Soon I would have to stay at the court all of the time, where it was warm. The thought of that, for some reason, made me feel despondent. I didn't want summer to end. Ever.

On one of the last days of summer, the last day I would be in the park (Keenan had told the Summer Girls that we couldn't wander off too far, anymore, since winter was fast approaching), I sat under my favorite tree, braiding a bracelet out of red and black thread. I was a little sad because summer was ending, but was otherwise happy. I had fresh flowers and pretty ribbons weaved into my hair, courtesy of some of the Summer Girls' boredom.

"What are you doing?"

I looked up to see Niall watching me, hands in his pockets. "I'm making a bracelet." I held it up so he could see it clearly. "Isn't it pretty?"

"Mmm hmm." He sat down beside me. I began to work on the bracelet again, humming absentmindedly as my fingers worked deftly, almost automatically. I had made bracelets often, before I had sank into my depression, so I easily got back into the habit of making them. After a few minutes, I thought it to be finished, and looked at Niall.

"Hold out your wrist," I told him. He cocked an eyebrow, but did so. I tied the bracelet around his wrist, and I was ecstatic to find that it fit him perfectly. "It's for you. So you won't ever forget me." I didn't truly expect him to keep it, but even so, it felt nice to think that he would have something to remember me by. Though I doubted that he would want to remember me.

He looked at the bracelet for a few seconds, then turned his gaze back to me. "Thank you."

I smiled brightly at him, then leaned back against the tree, looking up at the sky. The sun was setting, and the sky was different shades of brilliant reds, oranges, and pinks. It was beautiful.

"Niall?"

"Mmm?"

"Why have you been coming to see me here?"

He was quiet, looking off at nothing in particular, thinking carefully about his answer. "Your smile reminds me of someone I once knew."

"Who?" I asked curiously.

Niall paused. "Her name was Leslie." I could hear the pain, the hurt in his voice. Obviously he had cared about this Leslie very much, and it hurt him to think about her.

"That's a pretty name," I replied after a moment, trying to make him seem not-so-unhappy. It seemed to work, because he smiled a bit.

The sky was beginning to darken now. I knew that I needed to leave, but I didn't want to. Yet Keenan had specifically told me to be back before dark. I think he knew who I was seeing in the park, because he had become cross towards me and never spoke gentle words to me anymore. "I have to go now. Keenan told me that I have to be back before dark. He said that I can't come to the park anymore."

Niall stood up as well, his expression become stern at the mention of my king's name. I knew that he didn't like Keenan. I just didn't know or understand why.

Pulling his coat off-the same one that he had let me wear weeks before-,he put it around my shoulders. I looked at the jacket, then gave Niall an inquisitive look.

"I want you to take good care of it for me," he said softly, "until I see you again, in the summer."

I felt a fluttery, warm feeling swell up inside of my tummy. "We're going to see each other again?"

"Only if you want to."

He was letting me decide. He was letting me chose our next path, whether it was going to be one we took separately, or together. "I do."

"Then we'll meet here on the first day of summer."

I smiled broadly at him, feeling elated that he agreed with my decision. But my smiled faded when he gently took ahold of my chin and softly kissed my forehead. My cheeks flushed a dark red and I felt a lump rise in my throat. It felt nice... I was just surprised. Surprised that he kissed me, and surprised that the vines and flowers that adorned me seemed to thrive even more, instead of withering away from his touch. Niall smiled at me, releasing my chin. He tucked a few strands of hair behind my ear before walking away.

I stood there for a moment, blushing and motionless, until I was finally able to make myself move. I started to go home after a few moments, holding onto Niall's coat tightly, a smile creeping across my lips.

I couldn't wait until the first day of summer.


	13. Chapter 13

Niall didn't come to the park on the first day of summer. Or the day after, or the day after that. He never came. I waited for him. I waited and waited. I thought that maybe he was just busy and couldn't come see me right away, that he would come soon, and I tried to stay optimistic. But after two weeks, the flicker of hope within me went out and was diminished. I felt that Niall simply didn't want to see me. Who could blame him? I was a Summer Girl, a fey hopelessly devoted to the king that Niall hated so passionately.

My thoughts changed, though, when I returned to my secret place, my sanctuary, our meeting place, one last time. At the base of the oak we always sat underneath I found a single black rose laying atop a folded, slightly wrinkled parchment like piece of paper. Kneeling down on the ground, clutching Niall's coat to my chest (I always carried it to the park with me), I picked up the rose and set it on my lap. With trembling fingers I unfolded the small piece of paper. Only one word was written on it in scrawled, yet somewhat elegant writing.

_Sorry._

Tears began to fall, rolling down my cheeks and dripping onto the paper, smearing the ink. Somehow I knew that the rose and note were from Niall. Leaving them for me to find didn't seem like something he would do, yet I knew that he had to be the one who had left it for me. Deep inside my heart I knew that he wanted to see me, but he couldn't.

After the day I found the rose, I didn't return to my special place. I stayed home, spending more time with the members of my court. I tried to stay hopeful that I would see Niall again, but I doubted that I would anytime soon.

A war was brewing in the world of Faerie.

A terrible war in which there may not be any survivors. And I knew that if that happened, Dark and Summer would be pitted against each other in a fight to the death. And despite many feys' attempts to keep the war at bay, I knew that it was coming. Nobody, not Keenan, not Donia, not Aislinn, could stop it.

A war was coming, and it would consume us all.


End file.
